Pages

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Bio: Sarah E.
Ladd has always loved the Regency period—the clothes, the music, the literature,
and the art. A college trip to England
and Scotland
confirmed her interest in the time period and gave her idea of what life
would’ve looked like in that era. However, it wasn’t until 2010 that she
started writing seriously. Her latest release, A Lady at Willowgrove Hall
is the third and final release in the Whispers on the Moors series.

Dear Readers, I haven’t
received my copy of this book, but I loved the first two in the series. Her
writing is fresh, and she grabbed me on the very first page.

Welcome back, Sarah. God
has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

I feel really blessed to be able to write and do what I
love! I am currently working on a series titled Treasures of Surrey for Thomas
Nelson/Harper Collins Christian Publishing. It is another Regency series, and
then once this series is complete, I will be writing a stand-alone novel.

Has your writing
changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Without a doubt, writing has changed my reading habits! Writing
has made me a much more of an observant reader–I notice things that I would
never have noticed prior to writing and editing a novel.

What are you working
on right now?

Right now I am working on the final edits for The Curiosity Keeper, which will release
next July. It is the first of three books in the new series.

I would love to
schedule the new series on my blog. What outside interests do you have?

I love spending time with family and friends, reading,
gardening, and sewing/stitching.

How do you choose
your settings for each book?

Regencies take place in England, so my setting is pretty
much pre-determined! But I do tend to set my stories in the English countryside
as opposed to a major city such as London.

If you could spend an
evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

I would have to say Jane Austen! She has always been one of
my favorite authors, and I would love chat with her about her view on Regency society
and the craft of writing–I think it would be fascinating.

What is the one thing
you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

I wish I had known that it is all right to not get it
perfect the first time. When I first started writing, I tried to make each
chapter perfect. But now, I find I am much more productive if I get all of my
thoughts down and write the story and then go back and fix the details!

What are the three
best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

Write every day–even if it is just a couple hundred words.

Make “writer” friends! They understand the journey and can
support and encourage you.

Enjoy the journey–don’t lose sight of why you love writing. It
is easy to get caught up in the details–give yourself permission to just write–you
can always go back and edit later!

Tell us about the
featured book.When sitting down to write
each of the books in the Whispers on the Moors series, I asked myself the
following question: What would a lady during the Regency NOT do? So in the very
beginning of A Lady at Willowgrove Hall, the heroine, Cecily, makes a BIG
mistake—one that as the power to ruin her. The novel then takes her on a
journey. Initially, she does whatever she can to hide her secret and keep it
from the world, but through a very specific turn of events she learns to rise
above her past and eventually find peace and love.

Please give us the
first page of the book.

Blacksmith’s Cottage
at Aradelle Park

Detham, England, 1814

Is it always a sin to tell a lie?

Sixteen-year-old Cecily Faire rolled over to glance at Leah,
who slumbered in the narrow bed they shared. A worn, wool blanket was tucked
tightly under her sister’s chin, and her long, auburn braid lay limply against
the pillow.

For weeks she had kept a secret from her sister. Hear
dearest friend. Her closest confidante.

Cecily swallowed the emotion that welled within her.

Each little lie that she had told haunted her.

But had there been any alternative? Secrecy was imperative.

Cecily relaxed her head against her own pillow and stared at
the rough, wooden beams running the length of their bedchamber and struggled to
make out their uneven shape in the night’s shifting darkness. Outside their
room’s only window, unremitting rain battered their family’s modest cottage,
clattering against the thatched roof and disturbing the shutters.

(Barnes & Noble has a great preview of the book on their
website. You can read a sample of the book here.)

How can readers find
you on the Internet?

I love to connect with readers online. Here is where I can
be found–I hope you all will stop and say hello!

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

Thank you for the writing tips. My middle daughter aspires to be a published author one day so I am always looking for tips to share with her. Thank you for the interview, the giveaway and the chance to win.Blessings,Kelly in central VA

Hi Sarah & Lena! Thank you so much for the chance to win a copy of LaWH! I have the first two in the series but am waiting to get Lady so I can read all three in a row!Kristen in OKkam110476 at gmail dot com